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Savor Iowa's Heritage Flavors
Savor Iowa's Heritage Flavors
MANY CULTURES HAVE SHAPED IOWA, WHERE THE MELTING POT SHINES IN THE KITCHEN.
By Darcy Maulsby
In Iowa, “We don’t meet if we don’t eat” could be the state’s unofficial motto. Thanks to the rich legacy of our state’s pioneers and immigrants, you can savor a diverse world of flavors without ever leaving Iowa.
Historically, Germans made up the largest immigrant group in Iowa — with the first-known settlement established in the late 1830s. German culinary traditions live on in the Amana Colonies (including Amana, East Amana, West Amana, South Amana, High Amana, Middle Amana and Homestead) in eastern Iowa.
After the Amana Colonies were established in the mid1850s, more than 50 communal kitchens provided three daily meals, as well as a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to all residents. These kitchens were operated by the women of the colony. The food was well-supplied by the village smokehouse, bakery, icehouse and dairy, as well as the orchards, vineyards and huge communal gardens. By 1900, for example, it wasn’t unusual for the communal kitchens in just one Amana village to produce more than 400 gallons of sauerkraut.
Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, the Amana Colonies attract thousands of visitors annually who come to experience a place where the past is cherished. Today, the Amana Colonies continue to preserve an array of German culinary traditions, from meat-and-potatoes meals to craft beer and Amana wines.
Scandinavian, Czech Traditions Satisfy the Sweet Tooth
Other communities across Iowa, from Decorah in the northeast to Elk Horn and Kimballton in the southwest, showcase Scandinavian flavors. Some are savory (think lutefisk — a distinctive fish dish) to sweet, including Æbleskivers (traditional Danish pancake puffs in the shape of a sphere), lefse (a soft, traditional Norwegian flatbread), krumkake (a Norwegian waffle cookie shaped like a cone) and kringla (a sweet, flaky pastry shaped like a figure eight, a knot or an oval).
Pastries were also a beloved culinary tradition that Czech/Bohemian immigrants brought to Iowa. Kolaches are tender, sweet pastries with fruit fillings in the center. Some are open-faced, while others have tender dough folded over the filling. You can find kolaches in the Spillville area, Pocahontas, Tama County, and Cedar Rapids, home of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.
Many local Czech/Bohemian families have handed down their favorite kolache recipe from generation to generation. Some feature a simple flavor, while others add a hint of spice or lemon zest to the dough.
Kolaches
6 cups milk
3 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons salt
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
6 cups flour
1 cup vegetable oil
Approximately 8 cups of flour (with a total amount of 11 to 14 cups flour)
4 cans of cake/pastry filling (use any flavor you like)
Scald milk. Cool and add yeast and salt. Let mixture sit 5 minutes. Add eggs and sugar. Beat together.
Add 6 cups of flour; stir. Add 5 to 6 more cups of flour, and combine the flour into the mixture. Add vegetable oil. Dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and form an elastic ball.
Place dough in greased bowl. Allow dough to rise until it doubles in size. Form kolaches by taking pieces of dough and forming them into 3 to 3.5-inch circles. Place kolaches on a pan to rise until the kolaches have doubled in size. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to make an indentation in the center of each kolache, and add filling. Let kolaches rise.
Bake kolaches at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 60 kolaches.
Jaarsma Bakery Redefines “Dutch Treat”
Dutch settlers also brought their baking skills to Iowa in the late 1840s. These beloved culinary traditions live on in Pella, home of the Vander Ploeg Bakery and Jaarsma Bakery.
The Jaarsma Bakery has been offering delicious Dutch treats since 1898. Back then, Harmon Jaarsma, who used recipes he brought with him from Holland, had two wood-fired, brick ovens where he baked breads and more, including Dutch Letters.
In years past, Dutch Letters were made only as a special treat for Sinterklaas Day (the Dutch Santa Claus Day) on December 6. To this day, Dutch Letters are shaped into an “S” for “Sinterklaas.”
“We also make specialty letters, too,” says Lisa Larson, Harmon’s great-greatgranddaughter who owns and operates the Jaarsma Bakery with her husband, Carl. “These are especially popular for special events like weddings.”
Not only is Jaarsma Bakery a generational business, but it also has generational customers. “It’s really fun to hear life updates from customers whose families have done business with us for years,” Larson says.
The Jaarsma Bakery team (which includes about 85 employees between the Pella and Oskaloosa locations) ensures that each order is as fresh as possible. “Our crew starts baking at 1 a.m.,” Larson says.
The bakery produces not only the famous Dutch Letters but also other specialties, including Boter Koek (almond butter cake), cream cheese strudel, pies and more. These tastes of Pella are must-haves during the annual Tulip Festival in May, as well as year-round. “Everyone has their favorite treat,” Larson says.
